39 Indian nationals detained in connection with online gambling in Bali

Bali police conducted a large-scale operation against an illegal betting platform operating out of rented villas in the island’s resort areas. At a briefing on Saturday at Denpasar Police Headquarters, Chief Inspector Daniel Adityajaya and cyber police commissioner Aszahri Kurniawan announced the detention of 39 Indian nationals suspected of organizing and facilitating online gambling.

Who is in custody and who is being treated as a witness

Of the 39 detainees, 35 have been formally named as suspects and placed in custody. The remaining four are still listed as witnesses for now and remain under investigation by law enforcement authorities.

From Instagram monitoring to the February 3 raid

The investigation began in January 2026, when officers from the cybercrime unit discovered suspicious activity while monitoring social media. A lead took investigators to specific addresses, how the platform operated, and the network of individuals involved. Surveillance and initial questioning confirmed that the locations were functioning as dedicated call centers. On February 3, a tactical unit conducted simultaneous raids, detained the suspects, and seized physical evidence.

The “Rambetexchange” account and the site it promoted

A key piece of evidence was an Instagram account named “Rambetexchange,” which was used to promote the Ram Betting Exchange website. The posts contained direct links and step-by-step instructions for users:

• depositing funds,
• withdrawing winnings,
• contacting online support.

In effect, the social network was used as a showcase to attract new customers to the betting platform.

In Bali, sports betting falls outside the legal framework — and the same applies to online casinos. At the same time, Indonesian citizens still gamble — and they use not only illegal platforms but also offshore sites licensed in other jurisdictions. Online casinos know how to attract players. To do so, they use bonuses, including no-deposit bonuses, and also offer convenience and easy access.

To verify this, we studied several niche sites with reviews of popular iGaming titles currently. Analysts on monopolylivegame.org writing about the online game Monopoly Live point to an additional factor — the variety of games available. Players are increasingly choosing online casinos because they offer new game formats — from crash games to live-dealer games. And this has driven the growing popularity of online gambling not only in this country but also in other regions of the world.

However, Indonesian citizens should remember that access to foreign sites does not make betting legal. Workarounds exist, but technically it would still be illegal.

Two villas instead of offices

Police identified two “workspaces” used by the organization. The first villa was located on Subak Daksina Street in Tibubeneng (Badung Regency), and the second was on Jalan Raya Munggu in Kediri (Tabanan Regency). Both were rented and set up as operations centers. During the February 3 raid, everyone inside was detained, and equipment and documents were seized.

Billion-rupiah turnover and posing as tourists

According to police estimates, the operation’s monthly revenue ranged from Rp 7 billion to Rp 8 billion (approximately $413,000–$472,000), with each villa generating about Rp 4.3 billion per month. Investigators believe the suspects entered Bali on standard tourist visas, taking advantage of the large number of Indian tourists to the island in order not to attract the attention of immigration authorities.

The trail leads beyond Indonesia

Law enforcement authorities are checking the group’s possible transnational links and determining which audience the service was primarily intended for.

“We are investigating whether the suspects have links to networks in Cambodia. The online gambling services were aimed primarily at foreign players,” Commissioner Kurniawan said.

What was found during the searches

Seized at the two locations:

• 4 PC monitors,
• 15 laptops,
• 2 routers,
• 73 mobile phones.

The 2024 law and up to nine years in prison

Those detained are accused of violating Indonesia’s 2024 law on electronic information and transactions. The maximum penalty is up to nine years in prison and a fine of up to Rp 200 million.

The investigation continues: some individuals in the case remain listed as witnesses for now, and the investigative team is examining the organization’s possible links to international criminal networks.